Hurry Up
by Rouch
Summary: An United Nations dinner turns violent. JoshCJ
1. The apology

Disclaimer: West Wing is the property of John Wells and NBC, I merely take the liberty to borrow them for a little bit.  
  
Author's Note: This story if very nearly completed, but I will post it by chapters...that whole suspense thing you know. I also know there isn't anything in the show that would suggest that Josh and CJ would have a relationship, but this is fanfiction so it's a CJ/Josh story. Also, **very important**, this story takes place shortly after "Enemies Foreign and Domestic". The fact that I chose Saudi Nationals to be the terrorists is based on the events of that episode. I know this can be a sensitive subject, but I wrote this to expand upon the threats CJ received after making her comments.  
  
Rated R for violence and some language  
  
~~~Hurry Up~~~  
  
"Hurry up CJ, we need to leave in ten minutes." Sam, her self-appointed date for the evening complained as she left the press room still in her business suit.  
  
"Why am I always the last one to get ready?" She complained as she glanced at Josh and Donna talking down the hall already in their formal wear. She was not looking forward to the evening to come. The UN was having yet another formal dinner, which usually turned out to be a good time, but due to the atmosphere of the evening, the security was not tight enough for Leo or the President to be able to attend. The night was devoted to celebrating the determination of "The Common People". A few individuals from every country represented with the UN would be in attendance. CJ hated situations like that most because being the press secretary, second only to the President in visibility, those not well versed in the workings of the US government thought she had power and she that she could go on national television and change US policy. Consequently, she knew she would be spending her night listening to dozens of people pleading their cases to her, thinking they are making a dent in whatever policy they disagreed with.  
  
Josh watched as CJ entered her office to change. Her hair was already done, and all she needed was a 'costume change' as he like to call it. He knew he was falling for her. He was Donna's date for the evening, but only to cover the fact that his heart belonged to CJ. They had both agreed that any relationship that would happen between the staff had to wait until the administration was not longer in office. There was no question in their minds that the administration was more important than their personal lives. They could not compromise their jobs by throwing love into the mix. There were some things that were just more important than love.  
  
"Josh, are you with us?" It was CJ, breaking him out of his thoughts. "You looked like you were working on a secret plan to fight inflation." She mocked.  
  
He smiled politely, "It's going to be a pleasant evening with you isn't it?" She gave her most innocent smile as she walked past him now wearing the most beautiful Armani gown with an open back he had ever seen. Josh held her gaze and repeated to himself, "Yep, a pleasant evening."  
  
~~//~~  
  
After dinner, the mingling was in high gear. Josh looked over at CJ who had been in the clutches of random people all night. She would listen politely as the individual would plead their case, and then she would politely tell them that 'That is a very unique perspective. You do understand that I merely say what I'm told to say by the President, and I have no real or perceived power. But I thank you for sharing your position on the subject.' At which most would walk away, annoyed at the time they had just wasted. Josh watched as another happy customer left CJ standing alone. Taking the opportunity, Josh snuck up behind her. He grabbed her arms quickly, but gently from behind and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "The Whitehouse has not taken a stand on banning cocktail weenies from parties. It's cruel and unusual punishment to expect your guests to eat them. They're messy, and small, and they stain your tucks..."  
  
CJ would have jumped and tried to get out of the hands that held her had she not felt the love in their embrace. She smiled as she felt his breath on her neck. "That's a very unique perspective. You do understand that they happen to be one of the President's favorite hors d'oeuvres." She smiled and turned to face him, "And club soda will get that stain out of your shirt." CJ finished as she fingered the red spot on his shirt just behind his lapel.  
  
Josh smiled until he realized how close they were and that he still had his hands on her arms. The moment would look intimate to anyone in the room.  
  
Seeing the look in her friends eyes change from love to realization, CJ backed up quickly, running into the Saudi representative. She turned to apologize to the young man, "I'm sorry—"  
  
The man quickly stopped her, "Don't apologize, we both know you're too good for that." He snapped angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry, what—"  
  
"You heard me, bitch." He hissed.  
  
Josh could not take anymore, "Alright, that's enough."  
  
By this time the exchange had attracted several people nearby. Sam and Donna came up behind Josh as several middle-eastern nationals came up behind the offended party. CJ recognized the potential encounter and tried to back away gracefully. Before she could go too far, a hand clamped down on her wrist painfully and drew her closer to the group off foreigners. Before anyone else could react, CJ was spun around to face her friends as she was held tightly against her attacker. Secret service began pulling out their handguns. Their progress toward the disturbance was halted once a steak knife was taken from a nearby table and pressed to CJ throat. "Everyone stop! Nobody move or I slit her throat!"  
  
CJ froze as she felt the cold metal dig into her throat. Her eyes locked with Josh's, his fear was evident. The man tightened his already painful hold across her chest compressing her diaphragm to the point where her breathing became labored. Her friends flinched with her as the knife began to draw blood. CJ began to get tunnel vision and heard her captives shouting, but could make none of it out. She saw secret service lay their guns down, and several more people rushed in behind them to grab the weapons. Suddenly the hold on her was gone and she fell to her knees trying to return her breathing to a normal rate. Josh jumped forward to help her but was rewarded by a gun leveled in his face. CJ looked up at him and subtly nodded him off. She heard movement behind her and was unprepared for the pain in her scalp as someone grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her up and pushed into a chair.  
  
As she began to tune into their hushed tones she soon learned that the man's name she initially ran into was Khalid, but he was clearly not in charge. A man they called Waleed was issuing orders making her realize that this was a planned takeover. Suddenly a news camera was wheeled in from the pressroom. They wanted the attention of the entire nation.  
  
"Are we on the air?" Khalid asked.  
  
The camera man was clearly nervous, and merely nodded.  
  
Waleed began talking, "Good evening America. We have taken control your UN dignitaries and government officials. We will announce our demands in one hour, but first our brothers have been insulted by a female and we will have a public apology." Waleed ushered the camera to CJ. "Apologize for your comments about the traditions of Saudi Arabia!"  
  
He shouted and she jumped. CJ felt a gun pushed painfully into her back. She knew she should swallow her pride and apologize. It was her job after all to speak on a moments notice, and provide the requested information without anyone knowing she had not exactly provided the requested information. Her resolve however was strengthened when she thought about the schoolgirls that had recently died due to the "religious police". She glared at Khalid as she understood his earlier comments. She instantly looked to Josh knowing full well that these could be her last words spoken, but also knew that they would be meaningful. She broke eye contact with Josh to look at the camera.  
  
Josh knew instantly that CJ was not about to apologize. He wanted to yell at her that now was not the time to be a hero. He saw the gun aimed at her back, and knew from the previous encounter with Khalid that he had an explosive temper.  
  
"Alright, I'm sorry you have no free press, or an elected government, and I'm sorry your religious police spend more time beating women than stopping women from being raped. I'm sorry—" Her words were suddenly stopped by a brutal punch to her face.  
  
Waleed instantly stepped in front of the camera. "Mr. President..."  
  
TBC... 


	2. The consequence

Ok, I have serious issues with the way stories upload these days. So I apologize for improper indenting and the lack of italics when I wanted them...  
  
~~~Chapter 2~~~  
  
President Bartlett had received a phone call as soon as the secret service lost contact with their agents at the ball. He was now glued the television that had instantly tuned into the terrorists on all channels. {{Apologize for your comments about the traditions of Saudi Arabia!}} The camera zoomed in on his press secretary's face. She was looking off camera, and as soon as she faced the camera again he knew.  
  
Leo apparently recognized the stubbornness as well as he breathed quietly, "Oh no."  
  
The President could not help but smile as she boldly stood up to them, but quickly turned his head as he saw the fist connect with her jaw. "CJ..." He spoke softly and then suddenly he yelled out of his office, "Agent Butterfield! I want all of them out of there immediately. If that means..." He trailed off when he heard the terrorists address him directly.  
  
{{Mr. President you appear to have a problem with this female. She can't control her tongue. As a show of good faith we will take care of this problem for you and expect you to return the favor when our demands are announced.}}  
  
Leo and the President held their breath as they waited to see how they would "take care of the problem". Jed yelled out the office again, "Ron!"  
  
"We're working on it Sir," was the tense reply.  
  
~~//~~  
  
CJ's head was still spinning when she felt hands suddenly grab her and forced her to the ground. She was catching some of what her captors were saying as she was shoved face down and hands roughly restraining her arms above her head and her feet. 'Take care of me? What—' her thoughts suddenly stopped when a stinging pain ripped through her back.  
  
Sam held Josh back as they were forced to watch a belt transform into a whip. Her beautiful open backed dress was now a curse as the leather made direct contact with her skin.  
  
Josh looked at her face trying to get her attention. Her eyes were squeezed tight as tears streamed down her face and blood dripped from her lip, a combination of biting her lip to keep from crying out and a product of the earlier punch. Her eyes opened suddenly and looked around frantically, until she found Josh. He looked at her through his own tears, and silently mouthed, 'I love you'.  
  
CJ cried harder when she looked at Josh. Suddenly the belt hit her lower back in such a way that she was no longer able to remain silent.  
  
~~//~~  
  
The cell phone rang and Simon wanted to throw it out the window. He was in charge of the 4 man detail responsible for guarding CJ, but he spent the majority of his day and night doing it. He had taken the night off to catch up on sleep because knew even his reflexes were slowed by sleep deprivation. He also did not want to watch her, dressed in a beautiful gown stealing glances at Josh Lyman. They were in love, and he was trained to see that.  
  
After the third ring he picked it up. "This better be a national emergency."  
  
"Simon. It is." SA Butterfield answered.  
  
Simon sat up in his bed instantly awake, "What's happened?" Preparing for the worst he got out of bed and started getting dressed when he glanced at his TV he routinely left on at night but muted. There was CJ in that dress he didn't want to see her in, being whipped on National TV. He continued to listen to his boss as he turned off the TV and ran out the door.  
  
~~//~~  
  
Had it been the President of the United States watching his employee tortured, he would have been able to control his rage. It wasn't the President watching and it wasn't his employee. Jed was watching one of his closest friends brutalized on national television. "That was twelve." He stated to Leo as he heard CJ cry out.  
  
"Yes Sir," his eyes were glued to the television.  
  
"I want a doctor's assessment of the possible extent of CJ's injuries."  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"And I want Ron in here right now to tell me how they plan to kill every one of these bastards."  
  
"Yes Sir, I have some ideas if they don't."  
  
Jed placed a comforting hand on his friend's arm, "I'd like to add my own ideas to that pot."  
  
~~//~~  
  
After eternity passed, CJ's back was on fire. Her wrists and ankles were released, but she was too afraid to move. If it hurt as much as it did just lying there, she didn't even want to image the pain that would come once she tried to move.  
  
"You! Get her out of the way," the terrorist demanded of someone outside CJ's field of vision.  
  
Josh jumped up and practically ran to CJ before the leader even finished his demand. Despite the gentleness of his touch on her arm, CJ still jumped at the contact. "Shh, CJ, it's over, it's Josh. You're going to be ok." He could see bruises forming around her wrist, and some of the welts on her back had broken open, and were bleeding.  
  
"Josh?" CJ asked weakly.  
  
"I'm here, let's move you—"  
  
"No, Josh please. I can't move yet."  
  
"Ok take your time." He encouraged as he gripped her hand.  
  
"I don't think he appreciated my apology."  
  
Dead panned, Josh replied, "I think it was your delivery."  
  
"I'm not a writer." She tried to smile through the pain. "Let's go over and see what Sam thought."  
  
"Ok." Josh carefully leaned over to brace her by her shoulders as she tried to push herself off the ground. He heard her intake of air once the movement tightened the muscles of her back. She was soon standing, solely by Josh's power. Once she was near their destination next to Sam and Donna she sank to her knees unable to remain upright. Josh lowered himself with her allowing her to lean against his chest. He eased himself to a sitting position as she laid face down cradled in his lap. "Donna, get the picture of ice water and those cloth napkins."  
  
Donna nodded, glad to have something to do.  
  
"Sam, Josh thinks I need to work on my delivery." CJ tried to ease her friends' tension.  
  
Sam nodded, "We'll work on that tomorrow. If a terrorist would do this, just think of what the press corps would be willing to do to the next time you apologize to them."  
  
"It's a good thing I never apologize to the press corps." CJ took Sam's hand as Donna soaked the cloth napkins with ice water and placed them gently on her red, swollen back.  
  
~~//~~  
  
Ron came into the oval office as Bartlett was forced to watch the expression of pain etched in CJ's face as Josh led to Sam and Donna. Without looking at his chief of security, "I want this off national TV now."  
  
"It's done sir."  
  
"Why did it take so long?" Leo questioned.  
  
Ron glanced at the feed that was redirected to a select number of monitors. "We needed to figure out what channels the Terrorists were watching. Getting them out of there unharmed hinges on the appearance that they are running the show. If they feel they are losing any control they'll start killing people." After a pause, Ron looked at the screen, "And CJ has put herself on the short list for that nomination."  
  
Bartlett, nodded. "What exactly is it that they want?"  
  
"Prince Sultan Air Base." Ron answered quickly. "Specifically, they want the US to leave PSAB."  
  
Bartlett looked at his head of security, "Leo get everyone in the war room, Ron I want CJ out of that building getting medical attention in an hour."  
  
Leo and Ron nodded and went their separate ways leaving Jed alone to watch the monitor before him. Donna was taking care of CJ, and he saw Sam laugh slightly at something CJ had said. His staff never ceased to amaze him; even under the worst circumstances their spirit was never broken. Then any communication CJ was giving stopped abruptly when Donna placed a soaked towel on her back. Jed could see blood seep through the white cloth immediately and watched his press secretary's face reflect the pain the action caused. "I'm sorry CJ." He whispered to no one.  
  
~~//~~  
  
Josh watched the slight rise and fall of CJ as she tried to control her breathing. All talking had stopped and each of the senior staff walked through in their heads what was happening at the Whitehouse right then. They had no idea what the terrorists were demanding, but regardless, it was against policy to negotiate with terrorists. The only option was that the President and Leo were formulating a plan with Ron to take out the hostages. Such a plan could take hours to formulate and days to implement. The problem was, no one knew if CJ had days. Josh lifted the cloth up to look at the injuries.  
  
CJ tensed immediately and whimpered at the pain the reaction caused.  
  
Josh swore under his breath and Donna and Sam looked up at him, "I'm sorry CJ." He then looked up and spoke to his friends, "We need to see how serious her injuries are." They all finished his thought in their heads 'She could have internal bleeding, or a damaged kidney'.  
  
Donna looked at Sam, "Were there any doctors here?"  
  
~~//~~  
  
The First Lady entered the oval office. Jed looked up at his wife, relieved she was there, but he was struggling enough to stay objective. POTUS needed to focus, and Jed needed to take a step back. All thoughts in that direction faded when he looked into Abbey's eyes.  
  
"Jed..." She started but had no words to continue.  
  
Jed stepped around his desk, and led her to a couch. "How much did you see?"  
  
"All of it." Her husband gave her an inquisitive look. "I asked for a tape so I could asses her injuries." She explained with a slight sense of detachment that came only from her years as a physician.  
  
Jed nodded his head, "And?"  
  
Abbey grabbed his hand, "Possible kidney damage, massive hematomas, major threat of infection, shock... You need to get her out of there."  
  
"Ron's working on it. It should happen within the hour."  
  
TBC... 


	3. The rescue

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry. My windows operating system crashed and I had to rewrite this story.

**Hurry Up Part 3**

Secret service scrambled to get into place. There had been no further communication with the terrorist, and would not be for another 10 minutes. Simon wished he were in the building. He had teams setting up cameras from crawl spaces and air ducts, but he wanted to be physically in the building; he wanted to be the one to take out the terrorists. He had the utmost faith in his men, but it was personal.

"Sir, all teams are in place, and ready to go." His lead announced.

"Hurry up and wait." He said to himself.

* * *

Josh was finding it increasingly hard to make objective decisions. CJ was drifting in and out of consciousness. Part of him knew she was in shock and he should keep her awake, but she was in so much pain the other part of him wanted to let her sleep through it all.

"CJ, you need to stay with us." Sam, the voice of reason, spoke. His hand gently touched her shoulder, hoping the physical contact would keep her with him.

CJ's eyes fluttered open. They all could tell she was trying to stay awake, but was loosing the battle. "I'm not going anywhere." She answered quietly.

"We're going to hold you to that." Sam responded. He needed to keep her talking. "CJ, you need to drink some water. You're going to dehydrate from the loss of blood." She nodded and Sam looked up at Josh. They were going to need to move her to get her into a position to drink.

Josh nodded his understanding. "We're going to sit you up, ok?" He felt her body tense, and her grip on his hand tightened. "We'll take it slow."

CJ tried to push herself up off Josh's lap, but her arms could not support any weight. Sam slipped his arm under her chest careful to avoid touching her back. Once in a sitting position she leaned forward, supported by Josh's arm across her chest. While she sipped water offered by Donna, the terrorist suddenly came to life as Waleed entered the room.

"They aren't going to listen to us." He told Khalid.

"We figured that was going to happen. I'm sure they've surrounded the building while we've been waiting here."

"What now?" Waleed asked.

"We leave, and take a hostage with us." He answered simply.

Waleed eyed Josh, "Let's take her. Leave the rest of the President's staff. They seemed to be quite attached. Maybe they can sway the President."

Josh's grip on CJ unconsciously tightened causing her to shift uncomfortably.

"Plus she's injured, that may make them respond faster."

* * *

The negotiator hung up the phone, and shook his head. Simon spoke into his wrist wire. "Negotiations failed, take the building."

Everything was out of his hands now. From experience he knew the frenzy of activity that was occurring because of his order even if he couldn't see it. He also trusted his people and he trusted his plan. "Hurry up and wait." He breathed.

* * *

Secret service swarmed in from every direction. Sam was helpless to wait until the activity settled. Once he heard a series of all clears, he got up from his friend's prone position. "They're gone, they just went through that door." He told one of the agents.

The agent glanced done at Josh, now unconscious with blood running down his forehead. "Where's Ms. Cregg?"

"They took her. Please, they just left." Sam pleaded.

"Fredericks, Hanson, Schmidt, let's go...White, get the paramedics in here now." Just as suddenly as they arrive, the agents were in pursuit of the terrorists, and paramedics were treating Josh, who had taken a butt of a rifle in the head as he tried to protect CJ.

Sam looked off to the door where the agents just disappeared through, and where his friend moments before was pulled through.

* * *

CJ struggled to keep up with her tormentors. Her hands were tied and her back felt like it was on fire. She suddenly stumbled causing Waleed to swear and kick her back. The pain, that she thought only moments before could not get any worse, became a physical object she swore she could touch. Then hands roughly grabbed hold of her right arm lifting her with such force she heard a pop in her shoulder. She was pushed through a door and the cold November air hit her. She was shoved into a van, closed her eyes and took a moment of solace in the fact that they had stopped moving. Before Khalid could start the vehicle the side door opened once again, and CJ heard four gun shots. Her brain failed to register Waleed falling lifeless to the ground next to her. She closed her eyes again and waited for the bullet that would kill her. In that moment she realized that she loved Josh more than anyone in her life. Their idea that some things were just more important than love was the most foolish idea she had ever had. Now that she was about to die she would have given anything to—suddenly a hand touched her shoulder. She jumped slightly, and then heard her name.

"CJ, it's Simon. CJ you're safe open your eyes." Simon tried to comfort her. He was physically affected by the fear and pain evident in her face. He heard his team come up behind him. "Get the paramedics here right now. Consider that a presidential order!"

CJ's eyes flew open, finally registering the fact that she was still alive. The fear in her eyes was evident as she looked at her savior, "Simon?"

"Yeah CJ, you're going to be ok." He spoke trying to shield her eyes from the four bodies now lifeless within the van. "I need to move you to untie your hands." CJ nodded and Simon shifted her limp body and began working the rope gently. Her wrists were already rubbed raw.

"Josh?" She pleaded as her eyes drifted shut again.

Donovan could see she was fading fast, "CJ you gotta stay awake." The van shifted as the paramedics entered. Simon moved out of the way, but still not willing to leave her side. The President had called him personally just before the strike began, {{_CJ is your personal priority. The rest of your team can be objective, but CJ's safe return is your responsibility}}. _Now he watched her like a hawk; he would have anyway. The sudden activity around her made her shrink back in fear. Simon squeezed her hand, "CJ, it's ok. They're here to help. No one is going to hurt you anymore." She calmed slightly, but still flinched when one paramedic reached a hand out to insert an IV.

"CJ!" A voiced cried just outside the van. Simon heard people arguing, and he knowingly looked out to see Josh and Sam fighting with Hanson.

"Mark," Donovan spoke the agents name to get his attention. The message was received and Simon moved to meet Josh at the opening of the van.

"Mr. Lyman, the paramedics are looking her over right now. Wait until she's out—" Donovan was interrupted by a weak cry from CJ. Josh leapt into the vehicle to see the paramedics lowering her right arm. "It looked like her shoulder was pulled out of joint." Simon explained.

Josh wasn't listening, "CJ, I'm here, I'm right here." He whispered getting as close to her as possible.

TBD...


	4. The confession

**Hurry Up part 4**

Josh walked past the armed guard outside the hospital room with two cups of coffee. As the door opened, Sam quickly turned to see who entered. Josh gave a look of apology and handed one of the cups to his friend. Looking over at the other occupied chair, "She should go home and get some rest." Josh said referring to the sleeping form of Donna.

Sam nodded, "We all should." The truth was none of them wanted to leave CJ's side. She was motionless on her hospital bed. The nurses had done all they could to position her comfortably, but with the back injuries and the dislocated shoulder, there was no comfortable. After some drugs she had finally fallen asleep on her left side, supported by a mass of pillows.

No one had dared to sit in Josh's chair in his short absence. He walked around the bed and sat so that he was face to face with CJ. He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she woke up. He studied her features. She was as white as the pillow case her head was resting on, and her brow was creased with the pain she was feeling despite the drugs she was given. Bruises were easily seen, angry black and purple marks leapt out at him in contrast to her pale skin. He grabbed her hand and saw the finger shaped bruises around her writs and forearm. He was reminded of how quickly the night turned from subtle flirting to the most painful situation he had ever experienced. His mind replayed the look of agony as she was struck repeatedly. He could clearly see the welts split open with each blow—

His thoughts were interrupted as the door to the secured room opened. Everyone stood as the President and his wife entered. "Please, everyone, as you were." He addressed them, but before he was done speaking his attention was directed to his press secretary. Abbey was instantly at the foot of the bed looking over her chart. Josh moved away from the chair with great hesitation, allowing Bartlett to sit. The President took her hand in his and placed and the other on the top of her head. "I'm sorry." He spoke softly to not disturb her, but CJ seemed to sense that the President was speaking to her as she began to stir. Her eyes slowly opened and Josh stepped closer to make sure he was in her line of sight. Her eyes were the only thing to move as she held Josh's concerned gaze and then focused on the person in front of her. Jed smiled, "Hey, I wanted to let you know that for the first time in history the Press Core is quietly listening to everything they are told."

CJ smiled, she couldn't imagine what it would be like to tell the Press Core something and not have them shoot back with ten more questions. "Too bad I had to ruin an Armani to accomplish that." Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was testing it out.

"Well I would have put that dress on and paraded in front of all of them if it would have spared you from this." Jed responded.

This caused her to laugh quietly, "I think that might have had the opposite affect on the Press Core sir." Her laughing stopped suddenly and her grip on the President's hand tightened. He was forced to watch as her face contorted with pain.

"I know it's a painful mental image, but I didn't realize it was that bad. I'd shave my legs." He continued talking in hushed tones, rubbing his thumb back and forth on her hand, trying to comfort her.

Abbey spoke up, "Muscle spasm," she told everyone. "They'll happen with injuries of this nature. Unfortunately, the tighter the muscles get the more tense she'll get. It's an exponential cycle." She walked around the bed, opposite her husband, and began gently rubbing CJ's neck, which was free from injury. "Shh, CJ. You need to relax. Don't think about the pain. Focus on where I'm touching. Relax those muscles."

Josh felt helpless. Donna and Sam watched with the same sense of impotence. They all wished Toby were there. He was an action man, and would have had at least an idea of something they could do, even if it didn't work, they'd be doing something. As it was, Toby had been in California. They needed to start thinking strategy for re-election. He was boarding the plane to come home as they spoke.

Slowly, CJ began to relax. She opened her tear filled eyes, and quietly thanked Jed and Abbey. Abbey moved around to her husband's side and put her hand on his shoulder. "CJ, Donovan is still concerned about your safety. As soon as you are released from here, you're going to come to the Residence. Abbey will be staying with you as long as you need her."

CJ began to protest, but Abbey spoke up, "It's either that or you stay in the hospital in a secured area."

Conceding CJ nodded her head, and her eyes began to drift shut. She merely had the energy to ask, "When?" But she was asleep before Abbey could answer.

* * *

Despite the prominence of the visitors, after several hours the President left and the remaining staff was told they should leave also. Josh refused, which was no surprised to the nurses. They brought a cot in for him, but they still found him asleep in his chair, with his head on CJ's bed, and her hand in his. Amanda Johnson had been a nurse for twenty years, and had seen her share of senseless injuries. Still she dreaded her next task. Trying her best to not wake CJ, it would be best for her, Amanda set the basin of warm water and gauze on the bed stand. As she lifted the blanket CJ flinched. "CJ, sorry, it's Amanda, I'm sorry but I need to change your bandages again." CJ nodded, but Amanda could only see the back of her head. "We also need to reposition you soon. We don't want you to get bed sores."

At the thought of movement CJ tensed and whimpered in pain. This was enough to wake Josh. "CJ? What's wrong?" He waited for a response but wasn't expecting to hear the answer come from the other side of the bed.

"I was telling her it's time to change her bandages and then I need to reposition her." The nurse explained. At the last comment CJ's grip on his hand tightened considerably.

"It'll be ok CJ, we'll get through it." He continued to talk to her as the nurse removed her bandages and her back was exposed to the cool air.

"It hurts Josh." She moaned and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I know, look at me." No response. "Hey, CJ, look at me," he pleaded. When she did as she was asked, the pain in her eyes was almost too much for him to bear. His own eyes filled with tears.

She was touched by his display of emotion. "Ok... you got my attention... now what?"

"Nothing, I just can't stand that nobody in the room was paying attention to me."

"Well, you can have the nurse's attention... I'd rather not have it right now."

Amanda smiled as she applied the antibiotic ointment gently. "Well CJ, a lot of the younger nurses have been trying to get his attention, but it already belongs to someone else. They've tried everything short of cartwheels."

CJ smiled at that, "I can do a mean cartwheel, good to know I have that going for me."

"I've seen your athletic ability, so let's hope it doesn't come to that. If you break a window here there are no interns to fix it, and considering the activity, it would be more than a basketball that goes through the window." Josh looked over her shoulder and was glad to see that the nurse was almost done, and the idle chatter had distracted CJ.

Amanda spoke up again, "Okay CJ, I'm going to move you into a semi prone position. It'll just change the pressure points, but there isn't a drastic shift required." CJ tensed again. "Once I remove the pillows, I'll have Josh support you." As the process began she continued to explain what she was doing and what she was going to do. It was a painful process, but she wanted to make sure there were no surprises. Josh talked to her through it as well, and it was all over quickly. "There, it's over. How's your overall pain?"

CJ was breathing hard as if she just worked out. "Can I just have something to help me sleep?" Nurse Johnson nodded and promised she would be right back, leaving Josh and CJ alone.

CJ realized that this was the first time they were alone and she was awake since he had grabbed her from behind at the dinner. All of the emotions she had felt came flooding back and she began to cry.

Josh, understanding PTSD all too well, recognized what was going one. He started rubbing her neck like he had seen Mrs. Barlett do. "Shh, it's over. Let it out. You're safe now." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I love you." She choked out.

He knew she did, but hearing her say the words out loud created a tingle he had never experienced before. He kissed her on the lips, and whispered, "I love you too." Once he spoke the words he knew that there was nothing more important to him than her. Their relationship was one that was meant to last. There was no hurry.

The End??

This could be the end, or I can continue with CJ's recovery. It's up to you all. Tell me what you want to see happen.


End file.
